In order to facilitate contact between Chinese PhD candidates and German professors and university representatives, a 34-member delegation from 22 German universities and research institutes participated in the PhD Workshop China on 27 and 28 November in Beijing. The career event was organised by the Chinese Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE) and the Association of Chinese Graduate Schools.

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Over 150 professors and representatives from 76 institutions in nine countries participated in this year’s PhD Workshop China, an annual two-day scientific career fair. Germany sent the largest delegation, of which 22 representatives came from institutions supported by the BMBF campaign “Research in Germany – Land of Ideas”. Some 1,500 Chinese doctoral candidates attended the event to meet with representatives of foreign institutes and universities, hold interviews and directly apply for doctoral openings.

The Chinese doctoral candidates showed great interest in conducting research in Germany, which is by far one of the most popular destinations of Chinese doctoral scholarship holders, second only to the United States. In 2010 the Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC) enabled 603 Chinese scholarship recipients to study and research in Germany, 403 of whom participated in full-time CSC scholarship programmes. This makes Germany the most popular research country of choice for CSC full-time scholarship recipients. Germany’s popularity was clearly evident in the enormous response of Chinese PhD candidates at the fair and the many interviews they held with German representatives.

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The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) was responsible for managing the delegation trip, for which it organised an extensive accompanying programme on 25 and 26 November. After an introductory briefing, 32 members of the German delegation met with 48 representatives from Chinese universities and research institutes to discuss matters of PhD training. Following opening speeches by the CEAIE (Wu Zaofeng), the German embassy (Dr. Matthias Hack) and the DAAD (Dorothea Leonhardi), the Chinese and German participants had the opportunity to participate in discussions at nine different tables, each of which focused on a separate issue. This preparatory conference, along with tours in two CAS institutes the following day, allowed German scientists to gain insight into Chinese research activities and establish contact with their Chinese counterparts.